What is more important, Justice or Mercy?

[marharth]

The cost of being found guilty should be set by the victim or the surviving relatives. This, I think would cause many perpetrators to rethink illegal activities.

This is Sharia law. However I agree a little with you and also @HeyYou. Perhaps death penaltie would be too harsh for stealing a car. But I support it to some extend in cases of economical crime, where the smart one ruins thousands of average hard working people. And walks away due to good lawyers. This is very unjust, and mercy is out of the question here.

 

 

This is not Sharia law. Give me a break. I didn't mean that they could pick any penalty, The law should have a set guidelines for what a person should get. It is the victims that should have a say so in how much leniency the court should impose. If any. This would be true justice.

 

I agree with this. Just looking at the court cases in my home county, 99% of the time, the criminals plea bargain down to a DRASTICALLY reduced charge. This isn't justice by any stretch of the imagination, and is basically a slap in the face to the victims of the crime. My girlfriend was assaulted, she racked up over 15,000 dollars in medical costs, and was permanently damaged, and her ability to work compromised. What did the perp get? One year probation. That's it. No restitution, nothing.

She should of had the money taken from the person who assaulted her to pay for medical costs, and possibly a monthly payment based on how bad she was damaged (if it seriously made working conditions impossible).

 

I also think the person should of been forced to go to a psychiatric evaluation to see if his mental health is okay. If it is, then he should be put into a work program to pay for himself and anyone he assaulted.

 

I don't really see the above as justice or mercy, I see it as the logical solution to the crime. That's the problem with our "justice" system. We don't give logical solutions based on what the crime was to solve the problem they did, we just want to punish them so we lock them away from society in bad living conditions.

Edited September 24, 2011 by marharth

[draconix]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact. If the whole world suddenly adopted the policy of trying to get back at each other, then soon there won't be anyone left to get back at. On a personal level, if you tried to get back at everyone who ever wronged you, and if you were gotten back for every time you screwed someone else over, you would have no friends, and no family. On a national level, if everyone were looking to see their vengeance, there wouldn't be a nation left standing. There was this pretty popular book way back that believe it or not, said to "turn the other cheek". It's funny how people tend to forget that quote right when it's applicable.

 

This isn't to say that Justice is worthless, it has it's place as an ideal, but in today's world, it's seldom attainable. The word "justice" is too often used to justify revenge, and it's more important to be merciful than vengeful.

Edited September 24, 2011 by draconix

[marharth]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact. If the whole world suddenly adopted the policy of trying to get back at each other, then soon there won't be anyone left to get back at. On a personal level, if you tried to get back at everyone who ever wronged you, and if you were gotten back for every time you screwed someone else over, you would have no friends, and no family. On a national level, if everyone were looking to see their vengeance, there wouldn't be a nation left standing. There was this pretty popular book way back that believe it or not, said to "turn the other cheek". It's funny how people tend to forget that quote right when it's applicable.

 

This isn't to say that Justice is worthless, it has it's place as an ideal, but in today's world, it's seldom attainable. The word "justice" is too often used to justify revenge, and it's more important to be merciful than vengeful.

That's what I think. I pretty much believe that justice is no longer any different the revenge.

 

What I said above would be justice I suppose. It should be finding a logical solution to a crime to help the people effected by the crime. That does not happen.

[greywaste]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact.

 

That's one of ghandi's worst platitudes and I think it's only ever even quoted because he was the one who said it.

For instance executing a murderer - okay, you've taken a life in response to the taking of a life, but whatabout the future victims you've saved?

 

When it's tempered, I also don't have any kind of problem with revenge.

It's just crappy, cereal packet feel-good philosophy being used to paint revenge, retribution, justice etc as something that the 'intellectual', 'civilised', all round good guys should regard as primitive and barbaric.

[marharth]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact.

 

That's one of ghandi's worst platitudes and I think it's only ever even quoted because he was the one who said it.

For instance executing a murderer - okay, you've taken a life in response to the taking of a life, but whatabout the future victims you've saved?

 

When it's tempered, I also don't have any kind of problem with revenge.

It's just crappy, cereal packet feel-good philosophy being used to paint revenge, retribution, justice etc as something that the 'intellectual', 'civilised', all round good guys should regard as primitive and barbaric.

There is another topic for the death penalty, but do not act like every single person who kills is instantly a serial killer.

[HeyYou]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact.

 

That's one of ghandi's worst platitudes and I think it's only ever even quoted because he was the one who said it.

For instance executing a murderer - okay, you've taken a life in response to the taking of a life, but whatabout the future victims you've saved?

 

When it's tempered, I also don't have any kind of problem with revenge.

It's just crappy, cereal packet feel-good philosophy being used to paint revenge, retribution, justice etc as something that the 'intellectual', 'civilised', all round good guys should regard as primitive and barbaric.

 

"justice" is just a cover so that society can pretend to be civilized when they exact their revenge? :D

 

In all reality, that works for me. So long as the revenge is proportional to the original crime. (see death penalty for stealing a car.....) I always though that would be good anyway.... Kill someone? You die. Steal from someone? You are forced to pay it back, or, work for the individual until the debt is paid. Beat the crap out of someone? hehehehehhe, several someones beat the crap out of you.... Etc. No need for prisons. Justice is swift, punishment inescapable, and when its done, its done. No more sitting in a nice warm cell for 30 years with other folks footing the bill.

[marharth]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact.

 

That's one of ghandi's worst platitudes and I think it's only ever even quoted because he was the one who said it.

For instance executing a murderer - okay, you've taken a life in response to the taking of a life, but whatabout the future victims you've saved?

 

When it's tempered, I also don't have any kind of problem with revenge.

It's just crappy, cereal packet feel-good philosophy being used to paint revenge, retribution, justice etc as something that the 'intellectual', 'civilised', all round good guys should regard as primitive and barbaric.

 

"justice" is just a cover so that society can pretend to be civilized when they exact their revenge? :D

 

In all reality, that works for me. So long as the revenge is proportional to the original crime. (see death penalty for stealing a car.....) I always though that would be good anyway.... Kill someone? You die. Steal from someone? You are forced to pay it back, or, work for the individual until the debt is paid. Beat the crap out of someone? hehehehehhe, several someones beat the crap out of you.... Etc. No need for prisons. Justice is swift, punishment inescapable, and when its done, its done. No more sitting in a nice warm cell for 30 years with other folks footing the bill.

But is that really a logical solution to the crime?

[HeyYou]

An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind. These words aren't just an idle musing, it's a fact.

 

That's one of ghandi's worst platitudes and I think it's only ever even quoted because he was the one who said it.

For instance executing a murderer - okay, you've taken a life in response to the taking of a life, but whatabout the future victims you've saved?

 

When it's tempered, I also don't have any kind of problem with revenge.

It's just crappy, cereal packet feel-good philosophy being used to paint revenge, retribution, justice etc as something that the 'intellectual', 'civilised', all round good guys should regard as primitive and barbaric.

 

"justice" is just a cover so that society can pretend to be civilized when they exact their revenge? :D

 

In all reality, that works for me. So long as the revenge is proportional to the original crime. (see death penalty for stealing a car.....) I always though that would be good anyway.... Kill someone? You die. Steal from someone? You are forced to pay it back, or, work for the individual until the debt is paid. Beat the crap out of someone? hehehehehhe, several someones beat the crap out of you.... Etc. No need for prisons. Justice is swift, punishment inescapable, and when its done, its done. No more sitting in a nice warm cell for 30 years with other folks footing the bill.

But is that really a logical solution to the crime?

 

Is there a logical solution to crime?

 

I suppose, if we just started killing off the criminals, we would eventually run out, right? So, there wouldn't BE any more crime. That sounds logical, but, not a solution many would accept.

[Aonghus]

The statue of justice that is so prevalent in western society is show blindfolded and holding a scale. I was taught that what she is balancing in those pans are justice and mercy. That being said, I believe that the premise of this poll is false, and what we should actually be asking is, "What is more important, justice or law?"

[Balagor]

The statue of justice that is so prevalent in western society is show blindfolded and holding a scale. I was taught that what she is balancing in those pans are justice and mercy. That being said, I believe that the premise of this poll is false, and what we should actually be asking is, "What is more important, justice or law?"

 

She holds a scale and a sword; justice and power.